Wanda Sykes: 'I Had Breast Cancer And A Double Mastectomy'
Sept. 23 2011, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
by RadarOnline.com Staff
Comedian Wanda Sykes reveals she had breast cancer, and a subsequent a double mastectomy, to Ellen DeGeneres in a pre-taped interview set to air Monday, and RadarOnline.com has the clip.
"I had real big boobs and I just got tired of knocking over stuff," the 47-year-old said. "Every time I eat -- oh lord -- I'd carry a Tide stick everywhere I go. My back was sore so it was time to have a reduction."
She said “it wasn't until after the reduction that in the lab work, the pathology, that they found that I had DCIS ductal carcinoma in situ in my left breast -- I was very, very lucky because at the time, it was basically stage-zero cancer. So I was very lucky."
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Sykes -- who has 2-year-old twins with her wife, Alex -- said she wasn't prepared to take any chances playing the waiting game.
"I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked. Have a mammogram, MRI every three months just to see what it's doing," the Curb Your Enthusiasm personality explained. "But, I'm not good at keeping on top of stuff. I'm sure I'm overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already."
Sykes said with a detailed history of cancer on her mother's side, she decided to have a double mastectomy.
"I had both breasts removed, because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer."
Watch the video on RadarOnline.com
She said she was unsure whether or not to publicly discuss it, as "I'm black, then Lesbian -- I can't be the poster child for everything!'
The candid interview airs on Monday's edition of Ellen.
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